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| - The company was created in 1953 by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as ABC Films. In 1971, as a result of the fin-syn rules, the FCC barred the participation of networks in the syndication of their own programs. ABC Films was spun off and renamed Worldvision on March 30, 1973. Worldvision has been owned by many companies over the years. The growth of its home video division was primarily under the ownership of Taft Broadcasting, which acquired the company in 1979, and later became Great American Broadcasting, under Carl Lindner, Jr.
- The company modified their moniker as ABC Films in 1962. In the early 1970s, because of the recent fin-syn rules, the FCC prohibited networks from handling syndication of their own programming. As a result, ABC Films spun itself off and was known as Worldvision, starting on March 30, 1973. FremantleMedia acquired some of Worldvision's program catalog for certain territories outside the U.S.
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| abstract
| - The company was created in 1953 by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as ABC Films. In 1971, as a result of the fin-syn rules, the FCC barred the participation of networks in the syndication of their own programs. ABC Films was spun off and renamed Worldvision on March 30, 1973. Their home video division released numerous Hanna-Barbera titles and Jack Nicklaus' Golf My Way instructional video series. They were also responsible for the television distribution of a majority of the Carolco Pictures feature film library (inherited from Orbis Communications, which was a division of Carolco before the studio went bankrupt). Worldvision has been owned by many companies over the years. The growth of its home video division was primarily under the ownership of Taft Broadcasting, which acquired the company in 1979, and later became Great American Broadcasting, under Carl Lindner, Jr. Television producer Aaron Spelling, attempting to find an outlet to distribute his programs, attempted to buy Worldvision from Great American. Lindner told Spelling that he was not interested in selling the company, but decided to merge with Spelling, giving both of them Worldvision. The merger was finalized on March 1, 1989. In later years, Aaron Spelling consolidated his companies, and Worldvision as a wholly functioning unit ceased to exist and became folded into Republic Pictures (which Spelling bought in 1994), although Worldvision as a distribution unit continued for many years after until Spelling/Republic merged with Viacom (which also started as a syndication arm of a television network, in this case CBS) in 1999, the same year Viacom announced its acquisition of former parent CBS (completed in 2000). These mergers allowed Viacom to become the second-largest media conglomerate in the world. Viacom later renamed itself to CBS Corporation and spun off its basic cable and motion picture interests into a "new" Viacom (for its impact on the former Worldvision library, see below). FremantleMedia acquired some of Worldvision's program catalog for certain territories outside the U.S.
- The company modified their moniker as ABC Films in 1962. In the early 1970s, because of the recent fin-syn rules, the FCC prohibited networks from handling syndication of their own programming. As a result, ABC Films spun itself off and was known as Worldvision, starting on March 30, 1973. After 6 years as an independent distributor, Worldvision was acquired by Taft Broadcasting Company, the then-parent company of Hanna-Barbera, in 1979. During this time frame, Worldvision Home Video released several Hanna-Barbera titles to video and laserdisc, among other releases. Worldvision was also instrumental in the licensing of a majority of the Carolco Pictures feature film library for television. In 1988, parent company Taft changed their name and was known as Great American Broadcasting Co.. Great American later sold much of the Taft Entertainment Company, including Worldvision, to Aaron Spelling Productions. Hanna-Barbera, who was sold to Tuner Entertainment, continued syndicating their shows through Worldvision until 1992. In later years, Spelling consolidated his companies and Worldvision, as a wholly functioning unit, eventually dissolved and folded into Republic Pictures (which Spelling bought in 1994), although Worldvision as a TV distributor continued for many years after, until Spelling/Republic merged with Viacom International (now CBS Corporation) in 1999, the same year Viacom announced its acquisition of said former parent CBS (completed in 2000). These mergers allowed Viacom to become the second-largest media conglomerate in the world. The Worldvision backlog of programs are currently controlled by Spelling Television, Inc. - the rights to most of the Taft Entertainment library were included. FremantleMedia acquired some of Worldvision's program catalog for certain territories outside the U.S.
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